When Thad Matta sat in D'Angelo Russell's living room and received word of the star guard's intentions to suit up for Ohio State, the head coach and Russell's father were on the same page.
"We told these guys up front, and I think this is what took them time because they’re people of their word, they told us this is a two-year commitment," Matta said Thursday. "That was Antonio’s plan, D’Angelo was always two years."
But as the 2014-15 college basketball season churned along and Russell blossomed into a first-team All-American and the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Matta knew his star was too good to stick around another year.
"There were times where literally I turned to the coaches and said, ‘Boys you better enjoy this because we ain’t got much longer with what he just did right there,'" Matta said. "I got to the point where I just kind of enjoyed the game."
Frankly, everyone did.
Russell was so talented and did things not many could on the basketball floor, a big reason why he told ESPN of his intentions to declare for the 2015 NBA Draft Wednesday night. Russell made his decision official Thursday at a press conference in Ohio State's practice gym.
"It's a pleasure to be a Buckeye. Once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye. I'll never forget that," Russell said.
Buckeye fans won't forget about Russell either, but with his departure — along with five seniors — more than half of Ohio State's available scholarship players from this past season are gone.
Where does that leave the Buckeyes for 2015-16? Let's take a peek.
Point Guard
Easily Ohio State's biggest exodus on account of Russell — who also played some shooting guard — the Buckeyes also said goodbye to senior stalwart Shannon Scott, who led the team with 5.9 assists per game last season. Combined, Russell and Scott averaged 27.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 10.9 assists and 3.3 steals per game, all while each playing at least 31 minutes a night apiece. That's quite the stat line.
Enter A.J. Harris, the lone true point guard in the 2014 recruiting class. A quick and heady player from the same high school that produced former Buckeye Daequan Cook, Harris is someone who's had Matta's eye for a long time.
"I think there's something about guys that come out of (Dayton) Dunbar that we like," Matta said in November of Harris. "Date back to not only basketball players but football players and he's going to be able to come in and run a basketball team. He's accustomed to winning."
Matta also knew early this past season he'd need to bring in someone who could potentially fill Russell's shoes, and that someone is 6-foot-5 combo guard JaQuan Lyle.
"We felt at that point that we had better get busy because if things progressed then (Russell) was going to have the opportunity to leave," Matta said Thursday. "That was something we definitely looked at and said it's going to be a great opportunity losing Shannon, losing D'Angelo and we're fortunate it worked out that way."
Lyle will have the ball in his hands a lot, whether he plays point or shooting guard, just like Russell. Either way, his jumper will need to improve to help fill the scoring void.
Shooting Guard
Kam Williams is the lone returning shooting guard for Ohio State in 2015-16. A soon to be redshirt sophomore, Williams really, really needs to hone his game if he wants to get more minutes next season. He only averaged 5.4 points per game while shooting 34.6 percent from deep last year.
There are minutes to be had for Kam Williams next season at Ohio State.
On the prowl in addition to Lyle is consensus four-star sharpshooter Austin Grandstaff from Rockwell, Texas, who spent his senior season trying to become a better all around scorer. Ohio State needs points next season, badly, so Grandstaff and company are bound to be counted on early.
"We were able to get a kid that can flat out shoot the basketball with tremendous range. He's got size to go with it, he's got athleticism to go with it," Matta said in November of Grandstaff. "He's a gym rat."
Small Forward
Gone is four-year contributor Sam Thompson, the lone Buckeye outside of Russell to average double figures (10.3 points per game) in 2014-15.
Small forward is setting up to be the deepest position for Ohio State next year, with returners Marc Loving and Jae'Sean Tate joined by incoming freshman Mickey Mitchell. Another Texan, Mitchell can do a little bit of everything and at 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds has a solid frame.
"You look at Mickey Mitchell, what position is he? I think in our system he can play four positions easily from point, to two, to three, to four," Matta said in November. "He's one of those guys like an Evan Turner, he does a lot of things well and I love that about him."
Loving is more of a shooter than Tate, who makes his mark in the post with stellar footwork and a nonstop motor. Tate needs to improve his midrange jumpshot, though, just like how Loving needs to get stronger and show more intensity in his game. The lone junior set to be on roster, Loving needs to step into a leadership role for Ohio State — and fast.
Power Forward
Anthony Lee provided a nice lift to the Ohio State lineup when Matta elected to go small last season, having more of a presence than Trey McDonald and Amir Williams.
Matta wants to see more of this next season.
Lee's lingering groin injury really hamstrung the Buckeyes the second half of the season, but Keita Bates-Diop showed flashes of the high potential Matta fell in love with during his recruitment.
Bates-Diop is a streaky outside shooter, but is incredibly long and can get his hands on passes while altering shots in the lane. He just needs to hit the weights hard this summer and continue to build confidence.
Center
It's pretty safe to say Ohio State's post game has been lacking ever since Jared Sullinger left after the 2011-12 season.
Without going into it too deeply, the battery of Williams and McDonald lacked the intensity and talent needed to have continued success down low in the Big Ten.
Matta redshirted David Bell last season, a 6-foot-10, 225-pounder from Ohio to give him a chance to grow into his body. The same goes to Trevor Thompson, who had to sit out after he transferred from Virginia Tech.
Toss in another 6-foot-10 big man in Daniel Giddens, and the Buckeyes have loads of unproven talent in the paint. Giddens is long and alters shots down low, but is challenged when it comes to the offensive side of the ball.
The staff likes Thompson as the front runner to start next season, but Bell and Giddens have the potential to challenge him.
"All these guys have a body where they can come in here and not be shellshocked in terms of the pace, the physicality that is played with at this level," Matta said of his recruiting class. "The other thing is all four guys have won and they've won at a very high level. I think there's an art to winning and I think with those guys we got that."
We'll find out early on next season if that holds true.
